The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Just so you readers have a little variety in reviews (and not because I have a compulsive urge to complete a set, honest), I have taken it on myself to review the books from White Wolf's "Year of the Hunter" cross over. These books are out of print, but with some looking you can find them used or reprinted in some of the Chronicles lines.

PHYSICAL BOOK

Project Twilight is a soft cover "perfect bound" supplement. Its dimensions are the standard size of the gaming industry. The page count tops out at an average supplement number of 108 pages including the character sheet. The style is the familiar White Wolf. Two columns of text, peppered with line art all framed in a signature boarder (for this book the werewolf boarder). The supplement is broken down into two "books". First is a general knowledge section for both players and storytellers. The second section is storyteller only section giving more detailed information on subplots and NPCs. Each section takes up roughly 50 percent of the book. This format is both appreciated and a hindrance. You can have player read up to the second section to bring them up to speed, but when the storyteller needs information on important NPCs it is broken up in to different places.

SETTING

Obviously, this supplement takes place in the World Of Darkness. But the majority of the information given in this book highlights an aspect from the World of Darkness that is rarely seen, the government. More specifically, division of the U.S. government that investigate or have knowledge of the supernatural. This gives the opportunity to run a mortal government agent game or for a storyteller to use this supplement to have a more knowledgeable government actively hindering supernatural characters.

CONTENT

Ally Tag: Every White Wolf book starts with fiction, this book is no different. The story is a very brief account of an FBI Special Affairs Department agent on a case.

Introduction: In Defense of the Realm: This is a very brief section describing the moods and themes of a government style hunter game.

BOOK ONE: At Midnight All the Agents...

Chapter 1: Whoever Hunts Monsters: This is the character creation chapter. Provided in this section you can find new skills, merits flaws and Numina for your government agent. The rest of the character creation process is cookie cutter White Wolf. It should be noted that since this book is from the Werewolf line mortals do not have Humanity or the three Virtues that mortals created under the Vampire (or Hunters Hunted) rules would have.

Chapter 2: FBI Special Affairs Department: Within this chapter the reader is given the history, structure, factions and major people within the U.S. governments premiere supernatural hunters. Also detailed in this section is what the department actually knows about the supernatural and what supernatural factions have moles in this government body.

Chapter 3: National Security Agency: This section is relatively small compared to the last chapter but you are given a brief run down of the history, structure, factions, major NPCs and what the agency knows.

Chapter 4: Other Agencies: This chapter gives a short synopsis of the other major players in the U.S. government and the important aspects that they contain. The overviews are very brief but contain enough information to give a storyteller a basic flavor for that agency. Agencies reviewed are the Central Intelligence Agency, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Center for Disease Control and the Three branches of the government.

BOOK TWO: Secrets

Chapter 5: Storytelling: This chapter starts off with some basic tips to keep the moods of the game in the forefront along with some ideas for a chronicle. Further in the chapter we get a detailed character sheet of all the major players within the FBI Special Affairs Department. The storyteller is also given the inside track on what types of cloak and dagger operation are going on in all the U.S. government agencies as well as the groups who are pulling the strings. At the end of the chapter the storyteller is given a brief paragraph about other countries and what types of supernatural activities dominate there.

Chapter 6: St. Claire Contract: This is a short but well plotted introduction game for players wanting to start an FBI (or other government agent) hunter game. I will not go into details of the plot but it contains some very dark themes and may not be suitable for some folks.

Appendix: Junior G-men: This appendix contains two ready made characters and a special character sheet for Government agents.

SYSTEM

Project Twilight was written under 2nd Edition World of Darkness rules. The books does add Numina and skills for humans but in no way hinders the basic system of the World of Darkness.

SPRINGER-ESQUE FINAL THOUGHTS

If nothing else, this book gives a storyteller a way to break a mold of staunch Government agents that don't know a damn thing about the world around them. Two things bothered me about this book. In the introduction the reader is told that yes the government of the WoD is a hideous evil corrupted thing. As you read the information about supernatural moles, multiple hidden agendas and dark conspiracies intertwining many of the NPCs it becomes hard to swallow. The FBI Special Affairs Division has a total staff of 35 people but the writer then gives you three factions, a secret backer, Virtual Adepts, a double agent, a wyrm tainted mole, a secret psychic and a garou kinfolk. As you can see a very full plate. The second is a complaint about the Numina. They are spread out all through the Year of the Hunter books, new and old Numina with little apparent organization. I realize it is a ploy to get me to buy more books (and I most likely will) but I wish there had been some sort of organization. Rather than putting a few hedge magic paths and a psychic power or two dedicate one book to each division (unfortunately there were three divisions and five books). Having gotten that off my chest I have to say that this book and the Year of the Hunter books do one important thing. They make mortals able to stand on their own two feet. Humans out number all the supernatural groups, but players scoff and think of them as fodder. This book and the others from the cross over try to put the fear back in the players.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Project Twilight
Author: Chris Howard Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Game Studio Line: Werewolf Cost: 12.00 US Page count: 108 ISBN: 1-56504-310-3 SKU: WW3064 Playtest Review by Malcontent on 03/14/00. Genre tags: Modern_day Horror Conspiracy	Just so you readers have a little variety in reviews (and not because I have a compulsive urge to complete a set, honest), I have taken it on myself to review the books from White Wolf's "Year of the Hunter" cross over. These books are out of print, but with some looking you can find them used or reprinted in some of the Chronicles lines. PHYSICAL BOOK Project Twilight is a soft cover "perfect bound" supplement. Its dimensions are the standard size of the gaming industry. The page count tops out at an average supplement number of 108 pages including the character sheet. The style is the familiar White Wolf. Two columns of text, peppered with line art all framed in a signature boarder (for this book the werewolf boarder). The supplement is broken down into two "books". First is a general knowledge section for both players and storytellers. The second section is storyteller only section giving more detailed information on subplots and NPCs. Each section takes up roughly 50 percent of the book. This format is both appreciated and a hindrance. You can have player read up to the second section to bring them up to speed, but when the storyteller needs information on important NPCs it is broken up in to different places. SETTING Obviously, this supplement takes place in the World Of Darkness. But the majority of the information given in this book highlights an aspect from the World of Darkness that is rarely seen, the government. More specifically, division of the U.S. government that investigate or have knowledge of the supernatural. This gives the opportunity to run a mortal government agent game or for a storyteller to use this supplement to have a more knowledgeable government actively hindering supernatural characters. CONTENT Ally Tag: Every White Wolf book starts with fiction, this book is no different. The story is a very brief account of an FBI Special Affairs Department agent on a case. Introduction: In Defense of the Realm: This is a very brief section describing the moods and themes of a government style hunter game. BOOK ONE: At Midnight All the Agents... Chapter 1: Whoever Hunts Monsters: This is the character creation chapter. Provided in this section you can find new skills, merits flaws and Numina for your government agent. The rest of the character creation process is cookie cutter White Wolf. It should be noted that since this book is from the Werewolf line mortals do not have Humanity or the three Virtues that mortals created under the Vampire (or Hunters Hunted) rules would have. Chapter 2: FBI Special Affairs Department: Within this chapter the reader is given the history, structure, factions and major people within the U.S. governments premiere supernatural hunters. Also detailed in this section is what the department actually knows about the supernatural and what supernatural factions have moles in this government body. Chapter 3: National Security Agency: This section is relatively small compared to the last chapter but you are given a brief run down of the history, structure, factions, major NPCs and what the agency knows. Chapter 4: Other Agencies: This chapter gives a short synopsis of the other major players in the U.S. government and the important aspects that they contain. The overviews are very brief but contain enough information to give a storyteller a basic flavor for that agency. Agencies reviewed are the Central Intelligence Agency, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Center for Disease Control and the Three branches of the government. BOOK TWO: Secrets Chapter 5: Storytelling: This chapter starts off with some basic tips to keep the moods of the game in the forefront along with some ideas for a chronicle. Further in the chapter we get a detailed character sheet of all the major players within the FBI Special Affairs Department. The storyteller is also given the inside track on what types of cloak and dagger operation are going on in all the U.S. government agencies as well as the groups who are pulling the strings. At the end of the chapter the storyteller is given a brief paragraph about other countries and what types of supernatural activities dominate there. Chapter 6: St. Claire Contract: This is a short but well plotted introduction game for players wanting to start an FBI (or other government agent) hunter game. I will not go into details of the plot but it contains some very dark themes and may not be suitable for some folks. Appendix: Junior G-men: This appendix contains two ready made characters and a special character sheet for Government agents. SYSTEM Project Twilight was written under 2nd Edition World of Darkness rules. The books does add Numina and skills for humans but in no way hinders the basic system of the World of Darkness. SPRINGER-ESQUE FINAL THOUGHTS If nothing else, this book gives a storyteller a way to break a mold of staunch Government agents that don't know a damn thing about the world around them. Two things bothered me about this book. In the introduction the reader is told that yes the government of the WoD is a hideous evil corrupted thing. As you read the information about supernatural moles, multiple hidden agendas and dark conspiracies intertwining many of the NPCs it becomes hard to swallow. The FBI Special Affairs Division has a total staff of 35 people but the writer then gives you three factions, a secret backer, Virtual Adepts, a double agent, a wyrm tainted mole, a secret psychic and a garou kinfolk. As you can see a very full plate. The second is a complaint about the Numina. They are spread out all through the Year of the Hunter books, new and old Numina with little apparent organization. I realize it is a ploy to get me to buy more books (and I most likely will) but I wish there had been some sort of organization. Rather than putting a few hedge magic paths and a psychic power or two dedicate one book to each division (unfortunately there were three divisions and five books). Having gotten that off my chest I have to say that this book and the Year of the Hunter books do one important thing. They make mortals able to stand on their own two feet. Humans out number all the supernatural groups, but players scoff and think of them as fodder. This book and the others from the cross over try to put the fear back in the players. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty)